


open, filthy palms.

by highwaytune



Category: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys - My Chemical Romance (Album), The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Comic)
Genre: Battery City Weather Is Cool Y'all Are Just Mean, Battery City-Era Venom Brothers, Brotherly Affection, Gen, Memories, Not Beta Read, One Shot, Rain, Self-Indulgent, The Fabulous Killjoys (Danger Days) Are Not MCR, i really don't have anything to say this is just self indulgent brotherly bonding, personal headcanons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:27:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25046119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/highwaytune/pseuds/highwaytune
Summary: it's raining in battery city for the first time in a while.
Relationships: Kobra Kid & Party Poison (Danger Days)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 15





	open, filthy palms.

**Author's Note:**

> this fic is months old but here's my original starting note:
> 
> hey! another very hectic piece coming your way about bat city weather, because it’s all i can seem to think about lately. it’s nearly 4am n i’m hardly functioning, but i hope it’s okay-ish. the sun’s coming up but i feel obligated to finish this so...if there’s mistakes or fillers i missed, disregard! 
> 
> may i reiterate this is . a couple months old and therefore not consistent with how i write now dkhfkjdsfh.....this dialogue is atrocious but i can't be bothered to rewrite it. they're just little kids =)

It's not often that it rains in Battery City, but when it does, everything seems to shift into an alternate dimension -- if only for a few hours. Rain is, to BL/ind's misfortune, a thing that makes most people feel downcast, or at the very least feel _something_. Feeling anything is, as I’m sure you’ve picked up on, frowned upon, so the medication dosages are typically higher on the days it rains. That's the way it's been for as long as anyone can remember. Although, that's not to say there aren't some who appreciate the rain in all of its glory.  
  
Two of those, specifically a duo of brothers, have the good fortune of experiencing a rainy Saturday afternoon. They sit out on the front steps of their house, shivering a little as the large drops of water splash against the concrete and turn the pavement darker. It's satisfying to watch the rain come down, the water playing a soft, pleasing rhythm upon impact. Admittedly, the sound brings more peace over the two of them than any dosage of medication ever has, but neither of them speak of this fact, and likely never will. There’s no need to, anyway. It’s just silent knowledge that’s safe between them.  
  
James wraps his arm around his younger brother’s shoulders wordlessly, exhaling a content sigh. The rain begins to soak through the older boy's pressed white shirt, leaving transparent spots on his back and wetting his hair. He doesn't care though, not really; new experiences make his heart beat faster and his mind wander almost as much as his younger brother's does. Jamie's old enough to have lived through a few rainy days, but he doesn't remember many of them enough to tell Leo about.  
  
Leo's eyes flicker up to look at his brother for an answer or an explanation, but for once, Jamie doesn't really have one. He simply looks back down at Leo and half-smiles before speaking, stifling a laugh. "Your glasses are wet," he says finally, blinking the rain away.  
  
Leo raises his eyebrows suddenly, as if this were a groundbreaking piece of information. _That_ explains why there's round little spots he can't quite see through, doesn't it? He takes off his glasses and shakes his head rapidly for a split second before exhaling quietly. Leo mumbles something about the nervous tic he's been trying to kick for a few months now and that hasn't quite gone away yet, but Jamie can hardly hear him over the sound of water on the pavement.  
  
Jamie looks up to the sky, brushing dark, wet hair out of his eyes as he pulls his brother a little closer to him. His brother seems slightly annoyed with being jolted so suddenly, but says nothing in response as he finally pushes his glasses back up his nose. Leo is shivering a little, so he quickly wraps his arms around his torso in an attempt to keep himself warm as his clothes are dampened further by the afternoon's precipitation. He leans the side of his face against his brother's shoulder and looks up at the darkened sky, his head feeling empty and hazy in the best way possible.  
  
Despite the discomfort of wet clothes and drenched hair and unspoken words, Jamie and Leo are at peace. There's nothing to argue about, nothing to tease each other about, nothing to finish up at the moment. The only sounds on the porch are the soft pitter-patter of rain on the street and the occasional rustle as another of Leo's little habits manifests for a short second before disappearing again.  
  
Leo's voice wavers as he speaks, and he looks out at the street this time instead of up at Jamie so his brother can't see the way his glasses are fogged up. It's so -- so _heavy_ to feel anything besides neutral, but this morning had been so hectic he'd forgotten to take his administered supplements at all.  
  
"Hey Jamie?"  
  
"What's up?"  
  
Leo needs to think for a moment. He needs that little pause to recollect himself and his words, so for a second there’s just silence.  
  
"Leo?" Jamie’s voice reaches out to Leo and pulls him out of his own mind again.  
  
"Sorry." Leo shakes his head, then moves on. "Do you think things would be different if we weren't stuck here? Like, if we were somewhere where it was like this more often, I mean." The words spill out too quickly, and Leo looks guilty for even opening his mouth in the first place as he looks down at his rain-slicked hands.  
  
"Then it wouldn't be as special, I think," Jamie replies, unsure of what to really say to that. His brother comes up with pointless questions more often than not, but he's been quieter than usual today and Jamie feels something is off. "Now, can I ask you a question?"  
  
This pulls Leo's gaze from his hands up to his brother again, and he tilts his head. "Yeah?"  
  
"Did you skip this morning?"  
  
"What?" Leo looks puzzled, stray locks of hair forming a barrier that blocks Jamie from seeing the look in his eyes -- the one that will tell his brother that he knows what he's asking.  
  
"Skip your supplements," Jamie says patiently, reaching out to brush wet hair away so his brother can see again.  
  
Leo nods slowly, biting his lip and fidgeting. "Are you going to tell them?" Jamie feigns offense -- he's not a snitch.  
  
"'Course not. I can tell you're having -- what’s the word? -- Um, _withdrawals_ , though, so that's why I asked. You've just been... far-out today, is all."  
  
"How about you? Have you ever skipped ‘em?" Leo is interested now, his round eyes sparkling behind their frames. He tries not to show it, but a small spark of excitement ignites in his chest over the thought of even the _smallest_ acts of rebellion.  
  
"Promise me you won't tell anyone, first," Jamie mumbles, tone serious as he grips his brother's wrist, if a little tighter than he meant to.  
  
Leo's expression changes, hardens for a second as he pries his brother's fingers away from his wrist. "I promise," he breathes, eager for more information.  
  
"I haven't been taking mine for a few weeks now, and it's probably the best I've ever felt. There's days where I can't really get control of it all, but it's so much better to be able to think for myself instead of just feeling numb all the time," Jamie confesses, twisting a strand of hair around his fingers mindlessly as he speaks -- a habit likely picked up from Leo himself.  
  
"Really?" Leo looks up in disbelief before breaking into a smile. "It’s been on my mind for a while, but this morning I just forgot about it, and-!" He enthuses, cheeks flushing with the aftereffects of his rambling.  
  
James tousles his brother’s hair teasingly, drops of water springing off his split ends. “I’ll be more than happy to answer your questions, but you gotta know that withdrawals’ll get a little harder during the first week or so. After that, you’ll be back to okay, mostly.” With that, he shrugs casually as if they were just discussing the news.  
  
Leo nods and smiles wordlessly before turning back to look back at the rain, holding his palms out in front of him so the raindrops can splatter against his already-wet skin. It’s odd -- tiny, perfectly-shaped drops landing in his hands -- but he could get used to it. He figures he should savor it while he has the chance.  
  
The two of them are pulled back to the reality of Battery City as the door opens and a monotone voice is telling them to come inside for dinner, and to leave their shoes outside and change so the furniture won’t get wet. The siblings exchange a knowing glance and share a half-smile, standing up and walking inside the house before hurrying off to their shared room. As wet clothes are exchanged for drier ones, there’s no mention of their earlier discussion -- just a silent knowledge that it happened, and that things are, _hopefully_ , on their way to change.

**Author's Note:**

> there's that i guess. let me know what you think on my tumblr cherrikisser!


End file.
